Week 2 - May '24 Low Carb Bootcamp - my favourite week!

[BIWI]

Morning all!

I see a few have braved the spreadsheet already, and some nice results coming in

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_zdJLFAioyDd3ePLj7Tg5HnIu6E8JbdmsVyqP28Xsak/edit#gid=1892381976

I love this week because it's so often a (lovely) surprise for so many - especially anyone who hasn't low carbed before.

I have noted several lapses already, however! Remember, this WOE isn't very forgiving, so it is really important that you don't cheat. (Hospital stays etc are clearly something you can't do anything about, however).

But let's put last week behind us, and focus on a good, strict, week ahead, before we move on to Bootcamp Light.

We've been invited to friends' this evening, for a music night (choosing an album from '1001 albums you must hear before you die' - a bit like a book club). It's pizza night, apparently, so I've made the shallot and Gruyère tart from the recipe thread to take for us.

Here's to a good week

Although it looks as though I will be harvesting kilos of strawberries again this year. Last year I weighed each lot I brought home and calculated that versus paying for them in Sainsburys I had covered my allotment rent for the year (£30) with them. I may well chop some up and freeze them.

Lucky you having your own strawberry supply. I'm only buying organic strawberries from now on as strawberries are the worst offenders on the forever pesticides list. Ocado do frozen, chopped, organic strawberries which are very good on yoghurt.

Yes, I’ve read that before. I’ve had my allotment for many years, the strawberries generally do well unless I try moving them. I went up last night and put straw under them all and netted them, just need to start remembering to take containers when I visit, I always forget.

Good morning!
Oh man @Gingerwarthog ! You made Biwi get out the stick!! If we all get detention and have to do lines because of you, you're writing mine as well!! 😂😂

Well, as predicted, sun has gone and it's wet out there. No gardening for me! That also means when I'm collecting in my Avon books later I'm going to get drenched. 😩

@Lumpalicious I thought that first recipie was mashed potato at first glance! 😃

I bought my daughter some strawberies from our butchers on Friday, big lucious juicy ones. They looked stunning, but I don't like eating fresh strawberries, but I love things strawberry flavoured!! And love the tinned ones! Weird or what. Same with tomatoes. When I used to have sandwiches (what a lovely memory) I'd slice tomatoes up, but them on the sandwich so the juices went on it, then take them off again!! 😂😂

Argh. Weighed myself this morning. Admittedly a bit later than normal but stalling. No loss this week despite a brilliant start at the end of week one.

Is it the cheese? I may be psychologically compensating for loss of carbs with cheese on just about everything. And lots of baby bel’s for snacks…. Plus definitely not drinking near enough water. Still. I’ve been so disciplined about low carb’ing it. 😭

Get drinking that water. It really does make a difference

Every time I stall, I can trace it back to not drinking enough water even if I've been having lots of cheese

@MissBeck
Story of my life....see you behind the bike sheds

@EasilyDefined you can make a lovely vinaigrette with strawberries:

4 tbs olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
8-10 large strawberries, puréed
salt and pepper to taste

Lovely on avocado. I used to serve this with smoked chicken too, but it's very hard to find that anywhere these days

@DrBlackbird it's a bit early to start panicking! But definitely make sure you're drinking all the water. If the scales won't play nicely tomorrow, then you could try a few days without cheese/dairy, and see if that makes any difference.

I’ll make a point of water today. Maybe a little less cheese 😏 and see how I get on tomorrow. Tuna salad for lunch.

I'm guilty of slacking off on the water at weekends, I either forget or worry about needing the loo all the time while out and about. It's definitely easier on work days.

I will try adding a bit of lemon juice to strawberries @BIWI they are nice with black pepper. Do you think it would work with classic vinaigrette with mustard? I like that because its emulsified but plain oil and vinegar is too oily (same texture issue as with buttery veg). I do have issues with eating enough fat on this WOE.

plain oil and vinegar is too oily

If you add strawberry purée I think you'd overcome this

I'm out I'm afraid, fell off the wagon early on. But I'll cheer from sidelines !

I thought the emulsifying would only work with mustard powder (dredging that up from school cookery lessons a LONG time ago.). As a result I have used mustard powder in vinaigrette every time I have ever made it. I could give it a try. Would you use it on normal green salad or on more strawberries (I had imagined the latter).

If you shake the oil and vinegar, or whisk it, it will emulsify. You could also add the oil and vinegar into the blender/processor when you purée the strawberries, which will end up with an emulsification.

I would imagine that if you used mustard it will overpower the strawberries, so I'm not sure that would work.

It's definitely a salad dressing, so I'd use on any kind of green salad - as per my original post, it goes really well with avocado.

Thanks for letting me know. I've taken you off the spreadsheet.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend. It's actually sunny here despite the forecast which is galling because I could have dried 3 loads of washing by now if I'd known it would be day! Hey ho. Disappointingly Waitrose did not deliver my celeriac and the farm shop didn't have any either so no remoulade for me this weekend. I will try again later in the week. The Caesar salad with rotisserie chicken was so good though that I had it for lunch again today. Also trying to focus on water as I'm stalling a bit too.

You aren't stalling - it's only the end of week 2!

No you are right of course but I definitely see a difference on the scales on the days I don't drink enough. Just a good reason to drink more water!

Biggest test ever yesterday! I was on the cake stall at our village fete and not a single piece of cake passed my lips. I wasn't fully Bootcamp compliant though as I had a bowl of strawberries instead. I did have Prosecco too so I'll be happy with a STS result tomorrow! <awaits Big Stick>

Everyone else went to the pub beer garden for loaded chips and nachos and I ran home to grab salmon salad and then nipped back to join them. I thought I was going to feel really hard done by but I didn't!

@UnOeufIsEnough Ooh, that was some fine willpower there! Well done not scoffing the cake stall! 😁

@MissBeck I didn't know I had it in me

Ah yes, I wouldn't have thought to blender the strawberries, I usually just mush them up with a fork if I want to mix them with anything. I assumed that without mustard powder it would always separate again - my parents used to just shake vinegar and oil together and it didn't work. I think it would be too rich for me with avocado, I only really use them for guacamole or in smoothies but will try it on some salad leaves.

@UnOeufIsEnough 😁Last week there were 3 birthdays at work, all involving cake! I LOVE cake! But like you, never had a piece! We are stronger than we think!